A Kiss Found
by hold.enwrites
Summary: Valentine's Day is fast approaching Hogwarts and many of the students and faculty are finding the holiday hard to ignore, especially Hermione Granger and Severus Snape. (Part 2 of the "Kiss Promised" series. You should read that before this!)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was the weekend before before Valentine's Day and Hogwarts was a flutter. Couples walked hand in hand smiling moonily at one another.

But not Hermione Granger. She sat on a stone window ledge pretending to read her notes for herbology but was instead covertly looking for someone very specific.

A tall, miserable someone.

And then all of a sudden as if he'd heard her unspoken desires, he came into view. Scowling at the students who happened to get in his way. Like Moses parting the sea, students moved away so that he could continue unencumbered. His strides were long and firm and his eyes never fell on any of them in particular. Instead his eyes were fixed in middle distance, his jaw clenched.

And as he strode towards her, Hermione felt her entire insides melt. Even now as she sat, looking through her hair at the other figures that walked by she couldn't help but internally admonish herself.

_Really Hermione? Him? The man who mocked your teeth? The one who called you an insufferable know it all? Him?! _

Yes. Him. Professor Snape. Ever since the incident at the Christmas party and the enchanted mistletoe, Hermione had been hard pressed to get that man out of her mind. And she had tried valiantly!

The day after the party she and the rest of the students had gone to their homes for Christmas break. She had been distracted by family visits, opening gifts and ice skating with her cousins to spare much thought for Snape and their 'incident'. If anything she was humiliated and wanted to push it from her mind.

Talking with her parents over hot cocoa late into the night about their work and her school most evenings kept her pleasantly tired and distracted. And so it wasn't until she was on the train ride back to Hogwarts a few weeks later that she first felt an icy finger of shame and trepidation slip down her spine.

She could still feel his lips on hers. Still feel the heat from his body as he held her in his arms. How would she look at him? How could she possibly face him after all this?

When it came time for her first class of the new year she was terrified. She made sure to sit at the very back of his classroom, praying that he didn't even notice she was taking his Advanced Potions class this term.

She was organizing her quills beside her textbook when the door to the classroom had burst open dramatically. He'd swanned into the room like some dark creature, his tone clipped and his form taut as he moved.

"I assume you've all read chapters one through five in preparation for your class today?" He said, scribbling something at the front of the class on the black board with some chalk.

"Yes sir," came the tentative chorus of voices from behind him. He still hadn't faced them, and now he did, his eyes scanning the room and falling on her face a fraction longer than the others. Hermione's stomach twisted painfully as she waited for him to say something, do something that would humiliate her. Instead his eyes slid past her face and back to the rest of the class.

"Then begin on the lesson I've written. Any student caught talking with lose House Points."

And with that he had watched them prepare for today's lesson. First they'd all rushed to the ingredient stores to get the necessary supplies. Then, following the instructions on the board they got to creating. All the while he said nothing, merely walking the aisles and peering into the occasional cauldron. He didn't even slow as he approached her, choosing to look at her neighbors simmering cauldron instead.

To her complete surprise, it had turned out that all her panic had been for nothing. The rest of the class had gone on as if not a thing had happened between them. In fact it was as if she had imagined the entire thing and a very paranoid part of her wondered if this was actually the case.

A large part of her wondered if she'd actually dreamed the entire night up until she got a note halfway through her holidays. It was from Ginny saying that she had to suffer through an entire week of Ron and Candace making soppy faces at one another and that it was even worse than when they were at the Christmas dance.

Now two months later and Hermione was completely at a loss. She knew that this crush was idiotic. A sure effect from what had occurred under the mistletoe. Take one sexually repressed young woman add in a dash of mysterious authority figure sprinkle in some enchanted mistletoe and of course it would end in such!

The only problem was that as much as she told herself that this was a stupid crush and that she needed to move on instantly, she couldn't. She had turned into a veritable stalker – hanging about in corridors she knew he patrolled, going to breakfast early because she knew he ate earlier than the majority of the other professors. She was obsessed and she knew it.

She'd tried to overcome it though with a hastily agreed to date with Theodore Nott of all people! He'd taken her to Hogsmeade for a walk and drinks. He spoke of what future career he hoped to have and asked Hermione all the kinds of questions she would have normally loved. He was sweet and attentive and respectful.

And she'd thought of nothing but Snape.

She felt so badly for her secret distraction that she'd insisted on paying for everything –even Theodore's second drink. He'd been so taken with her than evening that he'd insisted on taking her out again. She'd agreed to it and given him a small kiss before she'd come back to her dorms, thrown herself onto her bed and fallen into a fitful sleep.

She couldn't confide in anyone about this - Ginny was sure to tell Harry or worse she would laugh in her face! And so she carried this crush like a horrible secret shame.

And now as Snape moved past her perched on the window ledge, completely unaware of her secret watching, she felt her longing magnified. She silently willed him to meet her gaze even though she knew that if he did she would be mortified. Still, the thought thrilled her.

_Look at me look at me look at me._

She needed his acknowledgement. Craved it. It hadn't just been her who had been so affected was it? He moved down the corridor and turned, out of her view and this allowed her heartbeat to resume its normal pace.

Almost unbidden thoughts came to her of Snape's mouth, and hands all over her body. But instead of pulling away, he was whispering filthy things in her ears and insisting she follow him to the dungeons.

"Hermione?"

At the sound of her name Hermione nearly fell off the ledge of the window, giving a small yelp and dropping her books. She turned to see Ginny looking at her with a strange look on her face.

"Wool gathering?"

"Just thinking," Hermione muttered, leaning down and picking her books back up.

"About someone special I think?"

Hermione immediately blanched. How had Ginny known she was fantasizing about Snape? Was it that obvious?

"What?"

"Theodore?" Ginny said with a playful nudge. "I'd know a look of fantasy when I see it."

Hermione smiled but inwardly groaned. Poor Theordore Nott. Not only was she completely besotted with Snape, but worse yet, she had been out with Theodore Nott seven times since then in some misguided way of forcing Snape out of her mind! Not much good it had done. His wet kisses and awkward fumblings had been tolerable at best. And now he had said he wanted to do something special for her this Valentine's Day.

"Are you excited?" Ginny gushed, her own eyes alight. "Theodore is taking you to dinner isn't he? At that fancy Muggle place you love?"

"Yes, right," Hermione said, trying not to look to unimpressed.

"What are you going to wear?"

Hermione shifted the books in her arms, surprised at the question. She motioned to her school clothes absently. "This I suppose."

Ginny's face dropped dramatically as she surveyed her friend's dowdy robes and frizzy hair.

"Hermione," she said in a serious tone. "You are not losing your virginity in your school robes. It's Valentine's Day for Merlin's sake!"

Valentine's Day. Or rather, the evening would be Hermione's chance to throw away this useless virginity that hung over her head like a pall. She was nineteen, almost twenty and she needed to just do it. She had always planned on doing with Ron on their wedding night.

She knew it had been a fool's errand, but her romanticized version of their relationship hadn't stopped her ridiculous fantasy. Theodore was nice and kind and why shouldn't she lose her virginity to him? A part of her wondered if she wasn't doing this as some way to assuage her guilt at unintentionally using him.

But Ginny was sitting there, looking at Hermione as if she'd grown another head at her suggestion of garment. Hermione knew she wasn't the pinnacle of fashion, but did Ginny really need to look at her like that?

"Fine," Hermione said with a sigh. "What do you propose I wear?"

Ginny smiled widely. "I thought you'd never ask."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Snape strolled down the corridors of Hogwarts, trying his best to ignore the mooning students and garish decorations. Valentine's Day was well on its way and Severus could barely contain his disgust. Of all the holidays excessively celebrated here, this had to be the most draining.

If he wasn't scouring the halls after hours to ensure students weren't creating love potions, he was listening to the female population of the faculty during meals reminiscing over lost loves or their plans for the Sunday event.

_Rubbish._

He turned down the corridor towards the dungeons. He knew he had to rush as his classes were about to start. Just before he reached the mouth of the corridor, he paused ever so slightly. He knew that _she _would be there. Perched enticingly on the lip of the window with her unruly hair spilling over her shoulders. Backlit by the sun she would appear angelic, but Severus knew better. Because he saw the way she watched him walk. Knew that her eyes following him as he strode past her. There was nothing angelic about that heated gaze.

He would never acknowledge her of course. He'd noticed the Wednesday pattern she'd adopted. He knew that in this corridor, every Wednesday, Hermione Granger would be waiting under the guise of reading or waiting for her afternoon classes. To a spy such as himself it had been obvious in its infancy. The first time had been coincidence; every time afterwards had been intentional. He had no interest in furthering any interest from the girl. And so he never let his eyes travel up her legs or to her face. Because if she sensed any interest or attraction, the girl would be relentless, just as she was in her academic pursuits.

And because, if he was honest with himself, ever since the Christmas party, he would be hard pressed to decline her if she made an offer. This fact horrified him at his core, disgusted him even. But she had stirred something within him that evening under the mistletoe. Her soft lips urgent against his own, the feel of her body pressing hungrily against him. Too often when alone in bed, his mind would turn to that moment. The moment she'd whimpered against his mouth and he'd gripped her bottom.

_It was just the mistletoe. _

It had enchanted them both and it was pathetic to think more on it. The attraction hadn't been mutual – it had been the side effect of an enchantment! Of course there would be residual tension. When the entire Granger spying had begun, he had assumed that the girl had somehow turned her attention on him out of curiosity after they had shared. He'd never heard sniggers in the hallways from other students so he had to assume that she hadn't told anyone of what had happened. For that he was secretly thankful.

Graduation was under six months away and this fact seemed to permeate his brain whenever he had her in classes. She sat near the back now, her eyes firmly on her work. It was only when she adopted the same trick he had through his youth – staring at him through her mass of fringe – that he wondered if her interest in him went beyond mere curious interest. It was during their classes in January that he had been tipped off that Hermione Granger was in fact interested in more than just his classes.

It had been during a double potions class in which there had been a written quiz of the previous three chapters. It had been a surprise quiz and Snape had secretly enjoyed the dawning looks of horror on their faces as the parchments were handed out and he explained they had an hour to complete it all, including the essay portions.

When they all looked sufficiently dismayed (aside from indomitable Miss Granger) he grasped the large gilded hourglass on his desk and turned it upside down. Immediately the dark green sand grains began drifting to the bottom.

"You may begin."

For the first half hour the only sound heard in the classroom was the scratching of quills on parchment and the occasional sigh. During this time Snape had walked up and down the aisles. He pretended it was to make sure they weren't cheating, but everyone knew he did it because he loved the way they all seemed to get out of sorts when he was nearby.

"Professor?"

He had been walking near the middle row when he saw the Granger girl raise her hand delicately. He strode over to her, surprised. There was the occasional student that may ask a clarifying question during an exam, but never her. When he approached he noted the flush to her cheeks and the way she couldn't quite meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry sir, I'm afraid that my parchment was smudged. I'm unsure what the fourteenth question is asking."

Snape sighed deeply in irritation before he bent over her shoulder, his left hand braced flat on the desk for balance. His eyes scanned her paper, noting that the fourteenth question was in fact quite smudged and unreadable. He also noticed that her hair was brushing against his cheek and she smelled lovely. Like peaches and Hogwarts soap.

At this realization he had stiffened immediately, his own breathing quickening slightly. He had been trying to recall what the smudges had said when she'd done it, right there in front of the entire class – not that anyone noticed. His hand had been close to hers and she had reached out her pinky finger and ever so slowly dragged that digit against his thumb.

Her skin was soft and warm and the minute she touched him it had sent a shot of electricity through him. It had completely unnerved him and he had leapt back as if stung. With a glance at a neighboring student he spied what the question had been.

"The fourteenth question asks you to name the law that dictates how to brew antidotes."

With that he had lurched away from her and when he reached the front of the room he glanced back. She sat there, her mouth slightly parted and dreamy gaze on her face. It was an open look that made him swallow thickly. He had gone back to his desk and busied himself with writing on some parchment, ignoring her for the rest of the class.

The minute the class had been dismissed and his classroom was empty he had bolted the door behind the last student. His trousers had been unbuttoned at a rapid pace and it was only a few long strokes before he had spent himself all over his hands.

He knew who had been the reason for it and he knew it was abhorrent to fixate on her. He'd never been inappropriate with a student and he wasn't about to start now. Though it felt disingenuous to think that as he stroked himself to climax, recalling her mouth on his at he Christmas party. He knew he had to stop thinking about her body and her touch. It was wrong.

The only problem was, he didn't want to.

"Ginny there's no way I can wear this."

Hermione's voice was muffled behind the curtain of the lingerie section of _Madame Malkin's_ dressing room. Ginny was a few steps away looking at new robes when her friend called to her. "I look ridiculous."

"Hermione you're exaggerating."

Hermione poked her head out from behind the dark pink curtains. She was red-faced and sweaty. Obviously getting into the garment hadn't been easy. "I look like a tart!"

"I'm sure you don't," Ginny laughed.

Madame Malkin suddenly came gliding over to the girls in the dressing room, a mauve measuring tape about her shoulders. The squat woman's large silver hair gave her the air of looking like she was wearing a thimble.

"And how are we getting along beautiful ladies?" she gushed, her eyes disappearing as she smiled widely. Hermione's face went a puce color and she visibly winced.

"Fine."

"Don't forget that anything can be customized!" she gushed. "Let us see how you look and we can begin tailoring!"

"No!" Hermione insisted with a yelp, her head dashing back inside the changing room. Madame Malkin brought a dramatic hand to her collar, obviously shocked at the girl's behavior.

"I'll have you know I have over ninety years experience in clothing!"

"She means no offense, Madame Malkin," Ginny said with a polite smile in Madame Malkin's direction. "She's just a bit shy. I'll check in with her."

Malkin gave an offended sniff before gliding off to see to another young witch. Ginny rolled her eyes at the woman's retreating figure before parting the curtains and dashing inside. She closed the curtains behind her and glanced at Hermione.

The older girl stood awkwardly, her arms over her chest defensively. The outfit was a dark scarlet, with criss-crossing ribbons, thigh high stockings and a bra that barely covered her nipples.

"You don't look like a tart!" Ginny insisted, eyeing the outfit. "But it's not you at all."

"None of this is me," Hermione said, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall. Why was she doing this? Why was she so determined to lose her virginity?

_Because you can't have Snape and you want the distraction._

"You're too hard on yourself," Ginny assured her. "You're lovely and you shouldn't be afraid to show it off!"

"I don't need to be a walking advertisement," Hermione argued, red suffusing her cheeks. She didn't like being this bad at something. She was always the knowledgeable one, the clever one. Having to rely on advice about something as silly as clothing made her frustrated and rather humiliated.

"You just need something classy yet suggestive," Ginny offered gently. "If you rip off your robes and this is the first thing Theodore sees you in, he may faint!"

"Yes well," Hermione gave an aimless shrug and began glancing at the other items she was to try on. The air between the two girls was heavy and Ginny took a moment to survey Hermione's downcast face. There was something about her friend's body language that didn't seem authentic and there was something else as well.

Was it that she wasn't over Ron? That thought caused Ginny to inwardly groan.

"Let's go grab a snack," Ginny said, giving her friend a kind look. "Maybe when we're done you'll feel more up to shopping."

Minutes later they were in the _Leaky Cauldron_ in a corner booth speaking quietly with one another as their food and drinks arrived. The two girls were looking uncomfortably from one to another until the red-head took the plunge and spoke.

"I need to tell you something," Ginny blurted, taking a sip of her wine and fixing Hermione with a serious look on her face. Hermione immediately felt her stomach churning. Something was wrong.

"Ron's getting married," Ginny said, wincing slightly as she spoke. "It was a surprise. He told everyone just this week. Seems he's quite keen on Candace and wants to show the world. They just told us yesterday and I expect you'll get an owl soon. I just wanted you to hear it from _me_… Not from some letter."

There. She had told her the news that had been haunting her all morning. To her surprise Hermione didn't seem upset at all.

"Oh," Hermione took a nibble of her sandwich. "Well, that's wonderful Ginny. I'll be sure to send him an engagement present!"

Suddenly all the confusion that had been surrounding Ginny that afternoon vanished. Hermione wasn't nursing a broken heart! She was infatuated with someone else!

"There's someone else, isn't there?" Ginny asked, her eyes narrowing. Hermione's eyes suddenly went from her sandwich up into the clear eyes of her friend, Ginny.

"Huh?" Hermione swallowed thickly. "What do you mean?"

"You don't care that Ron is engaged. And you don't fancy Theodore Nott," Ginny said, a smirk on her face.

Hermione faltered a moment before her eyes fell to the table in dejection. "No."

"But there _is _someone?"

Hermione couldn't meet her friend's eyes, her face suddenly feeling like a beacon of red. She nodded slowly as Ginny clapped her hands excitedly.

"I knew it!" Ginny crowed victorious. "So we're not shopping to distract you about Ron and Valentines? And we're not shopping for Theodore, are we?"

Another shake of Hermione's bushy head.

"So who is he?"

"I can't say," Hermione said, wincing. "I don't- It's hard to explain."

"Try."

"He's… Older," Hermione offered with a shrug. "And I don't know if he fancies me back. But all I want to do it shag him senseless."

"Tell me more!" Ginny implored, gripping her friend by the hand and smiling.

"Well," Hermione was uncomfortable, and suddenly felt vulnerable talking about Severus Snape of all people in public! Not that Ginny would ever know that. But this entire situation wasn't her at all. "He's tall and very clever and he kisses divinely."

"Where did you meet him?"

"At the Christmas party," Hermione said, knowing that there were so many people at that party from past years that Ginny would never narrow it down. She felt herself relaxing a moment into the booth, finally able to share some of what had been weighing heavily on her.

"What's his name?"

"Erm… Simon."

"So why are you with Theodore?" Ginny was confused. "This Simon fellow kisses wonderfully and you want to shag him. Why waste your time with Nott?"

"Because I'm a terrible coward," Hermione groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I really don't know how Simon feels about me. I've given him hints that I want to progress the relationship but he's not shown any interest. I thought perhaps Theodore would be a good distraction and it would help me forget about Simon."

"But that hasn't happened," Ginny observed.

"No."

There was a pause in which Ginny regarded her friend. Hermione looked so frazzled and beside herself. It was completely not her style.

"You know what you need to do."

"Yes," Hermione said, giving a resolute nod, her face that familiar look of determination. "I need to tell Theo it's over and I need to stop thinking about Simon full stop."

"I agree about telling Theo its over," Ginny said, a small smile crossing her features before she gripped Hermione's hand across the table. "But I think you need to make a go for Simon."

Hermione's eyes widened as she glanced over at her friend. "Pardon?"

"Think about it," Ginny said, fixing Hermione with a serious look. "When is the last time you were this besotted with someone?"

Hermione had to think about that. Ron had definitely been a large romantic part of her life. Victor Krum another. But neither of them had ever made her feel even a fraction of what she felt when Severus Snape glanced at her. She couldn't explain it. She hated it and she loved it. It frightened and thrilled her. It defied logic and yet she couldn't stop thinking about it or him.

"Never."

"Exactly."

Hermione gave a small smile, her cheeks pinking delightfully. It was remarkably freeing being able to talk to Ginny about this- even if it was in a type of code. The two spoke a while longer, laughing and giggling and sharing. It felt wonderful for Hermione although she had to be certain not to slip up and reveal Simon's real name.

"So I think if you're really keen on this Simon you need to be aggressive," Ginny offered, a bit tipsy from her drinks. "You need to get something that'll knock his socks off."

"I'd be too embarrassed if he turned me down!" Hermione insisted, her smile goofy. "What if I threw myself at him and he completely rejected me? I'd never live it down!"

"Yeah but what if you threw yourself at him and he _didn't_ turn you down?" Ginny said, pointing at Hermione wobbily. "That's the _real_ question."

There was a moment of pause and Hermione glanced out the dirty window of the pub. She wondered a moment if the risk was worth it. If she threw herself at him, truly didn't give him any chance to misconstrue her intentions it left her vulnerable. At his mercy. But then again being vulnerable and at the mercy of Severus Snape was causing Hermione to feel heated for different reasons.

"How can I throw myself at him?"

"You tell him to meet you somewhere neutral," Ginny offered. "Somewhere like this. Then you show up a few minutes late, dressed to the nines and use your considerable charm. Then once he's completely smitten you suggest getting a room somewhere."

"I'd be too embarrassed," Hermione said, smiling into her butter beer. "Besides, what if I asked him to come and he never showed up? What if he thinks I'm too young for him?"

"Then you'd have your answer," Ginny said with a shrug. "But Hermione. He's not going to say no. Trust me."

Hermione gave a warm smile to her friend, knowing that the girl was trying to bolster her confidence. Ginny's eyes drifted outside the tavern.

"Here, look at her for example," Ginny said, discreetly pointing to the blonde woman who was walking into _Twillfitt and Tattings _across the street. "She's your size and build, but look how her robes accentuate her figure! Yours just hide you. We need to get you something really smashing that'll have Simon begging to take you out."

Hermione looked down at her robes, knowing that underneath lay a boring uniform and under that an even blander pair of knickers and an ill-fitting bra. Could clothing really make all that big a difference? She had her reservations.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to," Ginny said, sensing her friend's reluctance. She suddenly felt awful, forcing poor Hermione into something she clearly didn't want.

Hermione glanced over, watching the beautiful blonde woman entering into the clothing shop and paused a moment. Was that the kind of woman Severus Snape desired? A woman who dressed and looked like that? If he saw her more as a woman and less as a student perhaps he'd consider her a viable romantic option.

Ginny watched as her friend's eyes wandered over to the blonde, obviously taking in her form. Then her eyes got a far-away look as if she was thinking of something quite complex. She paused a moment before a small, almost mischievous smile crossed her lips.

"You know, Ginny. I agree. Let's find something that'll _really_ impress him."


End file.
